RADIO
Chris Bell Has a Clear Path to Major Role in Miami
Miami Dolphins rookie wide receiver Chris Bell is a high-upside option to target late in drafts and on the waiver wire this season. In his senior season at Louisville, Bell had 72 receptions for 917 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games. Bell was drafted in the third round and would've gone much higher if not for a torn ACL in the 2025 season. The rookie receiver has recovered at a tremendous pace and played in the team's final preseason game, a positive sign for his Week 1 outlook. He was listed as a starter on the team's Week 1 depth chart alongside Malik Washington and fellow third-round rookie Caleb Douglas. While he shouldn't be a starting player in fantasy this week, he offers immense upside, as the climb to the top of the depth chart is not too crowded.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rhamondre Stevenson Expected to be Workhorse in Week 1
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson is expected to handle the bulk of the workload in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks. In 2025, Stevenson totaled 948 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns on 162 touches across 14 games. He split the workload with rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson, who totaled over 1,100 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie. Now, Henderson (ankle) has been ruled out for Week 1's matchup against the Seahawks, opening the door for Stevenson to get more work. The matchup is still tough, as Seattle allowed the fewest fantasy points to running backs and the fewest yards per carry last season. Still, with a great offense and as the clear workhorse, Stevenson is a mid-RB2 in Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kaelon Black a Top Handcuff Option in 2026
San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black enters 2026 as the clear handcuff to star running back Christian McCaffrey. Black missed time throughout training camp with an adductor injury but played well in the final preseason game and reportedly earned the backup role in San Francisco. The third-round pick was the team's second-highest-ranked running back in the draft process and has earned praise throughout the organization, earning the label "fast and explosive." McCaffrey has missed time throughout training camp, and the team is expected to manage the 30-year-old's workload in practice. Black is a strong handcuff at the running back position and carries immense upside if McCaffrey misses time.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyler Allgeier Set for a Lead Role in Week 1
Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier is projected to be the backfield's leader in Week 1's matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. With the Atlanta Falcons in 2025, Allgeier totaled 610 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns on 157 attempts in 17 games. He signed a two-year deal with the Cardinals during the offseason, but the team spent the third-overall pick on rookie Jeremiyah Love. Both are expected to form a one-two punch in the backfield, but Love's ankle injury makes his Week 1 status unclear. The Cardinals listed Allgeier as the starting back with Love as the backup on their depth chart. The Chargers were the sixth-best defense against running backs last season, and a negative game script is expected against the Cardinals, making Allgeier and Love risky Week 1 starts.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kyle Williams Looking to Build Off Preseason Momentum
New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams had a spectacular preseason, and he'll look to keep that momentum going on Wednesday against the Seattle Seahawks. Williams' remarkable preseason included six catches, 166 yards, and three touchdowns as he solidified his rapport with quarterbacks Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito. All signs point to Williams potentially having a Year 2 breakout, especially after the team traded away wide receiver Kayshon Boutte. With that being said, we're not quite bullish enough on Williams to start him against the Seahawks in Week 1. He's still third on the depth chart behind A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, and he'll also have to compete for targets with tight end Hunter Henry. Plus, the Seahawks are a tough matchup, as they allowed just the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers in 2025. Managers would be justified in stashing Williams in deeper leagues, but it would be a bit premature to insert him into your starting lineup for Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Romeo Doubs Fighting for Fantasy Relevance Right Away
New England Patriots wide receiver Romeo Doubs is being welcomed to his new team with a difficult matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday evening in Week 1. Doubs signed a four-year, $68 million contract over the offseason, penciling him in as the Patriots' No. 2 receiver alongside A.J. Brown for at least this season. Interestingly, we haven't yet seen a Drake Maye-led offense support two fantasy-relevant receivers, but that's not to say it can't happen. The former UNC signal caller will likely appreciate having another experienced veteran receiver at his disposal for Week 1, especially if Brown gets locked up by Devon Witherspoon for most of the night. There's certainly some upside with Doubs, but we'd rather leave him on the fantasy football bench this week while we wait to see exactly what his role looks like on gameday.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
A.J. Brown's Impact Should be Felt Right Away
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown might not take very long to prove that his acquisition was absolutely worth it. The Patriots acquired him from the Eagles for a first-round pick and a seventh-round pick this offseason, and he projects to be exactly what New England needed to overcome last year's Super Bowl loss. Brown has familiarity with getting peppered with targets on a Mike Vrabel-led team, and he also fetched 8.4 targets per game during his four years in Philadelphia. Brown's exact fantasy outlook is somewhat dependent on how the first game goes on Wednesday night, but we'd expect the star receiver to pick up right where he left off in Philadelphia. Last year, he caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns across 15 games. He has four consecutive seasons with at least seven touchdowns, and in addition to excelling near the goal line, we know that he's also capable of producing in contested scenarios or making a play deep downfield. Brown gets a tough matchup against newly paid cornerback Devon Witherspoon this week, but he's still worth rolling out as a locked-and-loaded WR1 in fantasy football.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Hunter Henry Belongs on the Bench for Week 1
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry is worth rostering in fantasy football, but managers should leave him on the bench in most leagues for Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks. Henry had a mediocre stat line against the Seahawks in the Super Bowl seven months ago, catching three of his five targets for 31 yards. That's not bad production by any means, but it also wouldn't be good enough to get him on the fantasy radar as a top tight end. Additionally, managers should wait to see if A.J. Brown eats into his workload at all during the season opener. Brown is a bigger-bodied receiver, offering physicality in coverage and around the goal line. That's similar to what Henry did last year, so we'll see just how much the prized offseason acquisition's presence impacts a player like Henry. For now, the veteran tight end ranks #17 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Andy Borregales a Riskier Option for Week 1 in Seattle
New England Patriots kicker Andy Borregales had a shaky start to the preseason, which has already impacted his fantasy football price tag. While he harnessed his accuracy in Weeks 2 and 3 of the preseason, he still finished 5-for-8 with just one made field goal from 50+ yards out. With that in mind, fantasy managers can likely find other, more dependable kicking options for the season opener. After all, it's Week 1, so nobody is dealing with bye weeks or kicker injuries yet. That means there should still be plenty of viable kicking options on the waiver wire, including several with higher projections than the Patriots' 23-year-old. Some kickers with similar price tags to Borregales but a higher Week 1 ranking from RotoBaller include Wil Lutz, Chris Boswell, Jake Elliott, Tyler Bass, and Harrison Butker. Borregales ranks all the way down at K23 for Week 1, according to RotoBaller's fantasy experts.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rhamondre Stevenson Soars Up the Rankings for Week 1
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson has emerged as a very strong RB2 option in fantasy football for Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks. Entering fantasy drafts this summer, there were plenty of debates about the Patriots' backfield dynamic. We still don't know exactly how this backfield will look when TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) is healthy, but we don't have to worry about that for at least another week. Henderson has been ruled out for Wednesday's season opener, leaving Stevenson in line to lead the backfield. Not only will Stevenson jump to No. 1 on the depth chart, but he'll presumably take on an every-down role. The de facto No. 2 running back, Corey Kiner, has just 14 career touches across four games, so it's unlikely that he'll carve out a large workload against the reigning champs. That leaves Stevenson in line for at least 15-20 touches this week. Interestingly, Stevenson was one of the few offensive players who impressed in the Pats' ugly Super Bowl loss against the Seahawks. On the big stage, he rushed for 23 yards, added five catches for 40 receiving yards, and scored a touchdown. If he can boost his rushing stats while continuing to produce as a receiver and around the goal line, he'll have no trouble finishing as an RB2. The Seahawks have a strong defense, but Stevenson showed that he could overcome this tricky matchup seven months ago, and he can do it again on Wednesday night. As it stands, he's the RB23 in RotoBaller's Week 1 fantasy football rankings. He should be started in all leagues with 10+ teams.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Patriots D/ST Gets a Tough Test in Week 1
The New England Patriots D/ST projects as a top-10 unit in fantasy football this year, but Week 1 might not be the time to start them. The Patriots run into a very strong Seattle Seahawks offense, kicking off the season with a rematch of last February's Super Bowl. For what it's worth, New England's defense did a good job of slowing down quarterback Sam Darnold in that game, and their biggest challenge -- running back Kenneth Walker -- has since departed for Kansas City. Nevertheless, the Patriots will face a well-coached Seahawks offense that is expected to get plenty of contributions from reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba once again this season. The star wideout will be covered by Christian Gonzalez, who recently became the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. There's a lot of talent in this showdown between the Patriots defense and the Seahawks offense, but there are other D/ST units that offer a safer floor for Week 1. As it stands, the Patriots are a fringe top-12 fantasy D/ST this week.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Drake Maye Opens the Season in Must-Start Territory
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye will run into a very tough season-opening matchup on Wednesday. The Patriots travel out west for a Super Bowl rematch against the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks. Maye was the overall QB2 in fantasy football last year with 4,394 passing yards, 450 rushing yards, 35 touchdowns, and 11 turnovers. However, he ran into a tough Seahawks defense in the Super Bowl, tallying two touchdowns and two interceptions as the Patriots lost by 16 points. The Seahawks continue to field a strong defense that will pose a challenge to Maye, but his natural rushing ability and improved passing skills keep him in must-start territory for fantasy football. Plus, his supporting cast saw a massive upgrade this offseason with the additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. He may not immediately be a top-three fantasy quarterback this week, but the former No. 3 pick should still post QB1-level numbers. It's Week 1; don't overthink it. Start your studs, including Maye.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
C.J. Stroud an Intriguing Streamer in Potential Week 1 Shootout
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud could be headed for a high passing volume and plenty of scoring opportunities in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills. Stroud was consistently drafted in fantasy leagues with 14+ teams, leaving him available on the waiver wire in eight-team and 10-team formats, as well as some 12-team leagues. The former No. 2 overall pick is looking to shake off a frustrating 2025 season in which he threw for a modest 3,041 passing yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His production continued to go downhill in the playoffs. Stroud has now seen his fantasy ranking decline every year since being drafted, but he could trend back up in a revamped offense this year. He also stands to benefit in a big way from the Texans' Week 1 matchup against the Bills. Although Buffalo allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks last year, Texans-Bills projects as a potential shootout, leaving plenty of touchdown upside for Stroud. Managers who are already looking for some quarterback help in Week 1 should look to add Stroud off the waiver wire. He'll continue to get some favorable situations after the Bills game, as he runs into a stretch of matchups against the Bengals, Colts, Cowboys, and Titans.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Eli Raridon a Deep-League Stash in Solidified Role
New England Patriots tight end Eli Raridon is officially locked into the No. 2 spot on the depth chart heading into his first pro season. Hunter Henry remains the primary tight end in New England, so we don't expect Raridon to get onto the fantasy radar right away. However, the rookie from Notre Dame has plenty of upside in dynasty leagues and even in some deeper redraft formats. Raridon should get on the field for most two tight end sets, and he could even earn some snaps over Henry. At school last year, he caught 38 passes for 482 yards, although he wasn't able to find the end zone. The 22-year-old currently ranks as RotoBaller's TE45 in redraft leagues, making him a deep-league stash for now. Eventually, though, he could ascend into a decent fantasy starter.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jacoby Brissett a Viable Streamer in Deeper Leagues
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett is coming off a fantastic season in 2025, so he remains on the fantasy radar as a deep-league streamer for Week 1 of the 2026 season. From Weeks 6-18 last year, Brissett was the overall QB6 in fantasy football and averaged 19.6 fantasy points per game. He ranked as a top-14 fantasy quarterback in 11 of his 12 starts, as well as a top-12 fantasy quarterback in nine of those starts. It's too early to tell whether Brissett will be able to replicate that level of performance this year. He's not a flashy name by any means, but he should have a high passing volume with the Cardinals projected to be trailing in games often. He also has a very talented supporting cast around him, headlined by Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey McBride, and Michael Wilson. The biggest obstacle in Brissett's way is his Week 1 matchup against the Chargers, who allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks last year. While Brissett may not be worth starting in single-quarterback leagues with 12 or fewer teams, he's a solid superflex option or deep-league streamer given the state of the Cardinals' offense.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
